


Give It Up and Leave It All Behind

by aleia



Series: Begin Again [7]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Homophobia, M/M, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 07:04:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13782291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleia/pseuds/aleia
Summary: Set in the January following I Wanna Believe In Everything That You Say.





	1. Chapter 1

Kent has plans for bye week. The Aces’ bye week overlaps with the Falconers’, so he plans fly to Providence, spend four days with Alexei, and then they’ll both fly back to Vegas and he’ll have Alexei for two more days. Alexei has an away game while Kent is in Providence, but it’s against Boston. He’ll still come back to Kent that night. Kent hasn’t been able to see Alexei since they played Providence in October and nightly Skype calls can only do so much.

Of course, Kent still looks forward to those Skype calls. They’re better than nothing. And he can admit that maybe Swoops has a point when he says that at least the distance forces them to really communicate if they want to stay together. Kent misses having Alexei’s arms around him, but the distance isn’t stopping Kent from falling more and more in love with him every day.

It’s only two weeks before Vegas’s bye week when the call to Alexei connects, and Alexei doesn’t greet Kent with his usual big smile and enthusiastic greeting.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Kent asks. It’s not the first time Alexei’s started a call in a more subdued mood, but it’s the first time Kent hasn’t known why in advance. In addition to calling almost every night, they also text so much that the guys don’t even bother to chirp him about it most of the time.

Instead of answering, Alexei bites his lip and looks down away from the camera. He opens and closes his mouth a couple times before swearing in Russian. His English is good, but when he’s upset or very excited, Kent’s seen him struggle to find the right words. According to Zimms, it’s even worse when he’s angry on the ice. Of course, Jack’s already picked up more Russian than Kent because he was always better at languages.

“Am afraid you’ll be unhappy with what I say,” Alexei says finally.

Kent tries not to freak out. Things have been more than good. Things have been amazing. There’s no reason to think Alexei doesn’t want him anymore, but it still pops into Kent’s mind. No. That’s stupid. Alexei cares about him. Also, Alexei sees Zimms every day. If Zimms suspected even a little that Alexei was going to leave him, Jeff would already be hovering around Kent’s house.

“Whatever it is, have you talked to Zimms about it?” Kent asks.

Alexei nods.

“Does he think I’m going to be upset?”

Alexei shakes his head and the pressure in Kent’s chest releases.

“I think you be…disappointed. Zimmboni says you’ll just want to help. He says you will be happy I ask you to help.”

“Okay, then that’s probably exactly right,” Kent says. “I love you. If something’s wrong, I want to help.”

“Is not wrong. Not yet. Is just…” Alexei sighs and shakes his head.

“It’s okay. If the words aren’t right, we’ll figure it out,” Kent says and then he waits. He can’t help touching the side of the screen and that makes Alexei give him a small smile.

“I want to tell my parents about me. Not you yet. I mean. I’m wanting to tell them about you, but see how they act first. Need to know they okay before I tell about you.”

It’s big. Alexei has admitted that he’s sure his parents won’t be happy. But he’s also exhausted from lying. Kent gets it. The more people he comes out to, the more he hates being in the closet. Every single friend he’s out to also knows about Alexei, and it makes everything so much better. He’s not sure he wants to be public and deal with what the world thinks yet, but his friends know him and that’s what matters.

“Xei, why would I be upset about that? I know you’ve been thinking about it. I know it’s scary. It’s all up to you when and how much you tell them. I just want to be there for you as much as I can.”

“Is just…I know you looking forward to bye week.”

“You want to tell them during bye week?”

“I want to tell in person, but is safer here. I think I invite them here. Bye week is right after our Christmas. So makes sense to ask them to come see a couple games and then I tell. But is rude to not ask them to stay with me. Mama would be upset before I say anything if I put them in hotel,” Alexei says. “And I know you want us to have time, but…I feel better if you close. Is selfish of me to mess up vacation.”

“Hey, no. No way. It’s not selfish. And yes, I want to see you, but I want to be there for you, too. We have time. Hell, it’s going to take a miracle for me to be in the playoffs the way this year is going. I’ll fly over there as soon as you let me when I’m done for the season. If you’re ready to come out, I definitely want to be able to be there for you.”

“I think, I have parents come early and tell them right before they leave. Zimmboni say you can stay with him until they go home. Will still have all of my bye week.”

“Whatever you want,” Kent says. “I love you. Whatever I can do, just try to tell me how to help you.”

Alexei smiles.

“I love you. You hug me, that all I want.”

“As much as you want, whenever you want,” Kent says.

***

Kent’s already in the parking lot outside Jeff’s apartment when he remembers that Jeff has a girlfriend now and maybe Kent should check before he comes over like he still lives there. Jeff checks before he comes over when he knows that Alexei is in town.

 **Kent:** Are you busy?  
**Swoops:** Are you okay?

Jeff’s lack of an answer probably means he is busy. Kent looks to where Kit is curled up in the passenger seat. He stopped bothering to force her into a carrier for short rides a lot time ago. She’s never cared about car rides. She just stares back at him. 

“We should probably just go home,” Kent says to her.

 **Swoops:** I know if you don’t answer me that’s a no. You want me to come over?  
**Kent:** It’s not that serious. You’re busy.  
**Swoops:** I can come over.  
**Kent:** I’m kind of outside your apartment.

Dots appear and disappear. It takes Jeff long enough to reply that Kent wishes he hadn’t told Jeff he was already outside so that he could turn around and go home without Jeff knowing.

 **Swoops:** Just come up. Krystle was just hanging out. It wasn’t a serious date. She’s fine with going home.  
**Kent:** OMG. No. You don’t kick out your girlfriend. I can go home. I’ll call Mama or something if it makes you feel better.  
**Swoops:** It’s fine. She has to work tomorrow so she wasn’t spending the night.  
**Kent:** Ok, ok

“You’re a disaster,” Kent says when Jeff answers the door. “You’re not supposed to just kick out your girlfriend. We all like her. Don’t think we won’t have a family meeting to give you relationship lessons. Again.”

“I’m not listening to you and Mills and Reaper tell me how to act. Seriously. Reaper?”

“Reaper is married to TyKesha. He has been for eight years. He’s doing something right.”

Jeff shrugs.

“You brought Kit. You’re not okay,” Jeff says instead of answering.

“And it’s fine,” Krystle says. “Really. If you think that I wouldn’t ditch Jeff if one of my friends needed me, and he was totally fine, then you’re wrong.”

“Thanks,” Kent says.

“You’re not half as much trouble to deal with as you think you are,” Krystle says. “And I’m not stupid. There’s no way Jeff has picked out a single present he’s ever given me. He got confused when I said Yves Saint Laurent because he didn’t know YSL stood for anything.”

Kent laughs and shrugs. He lets Krystle hug him and pet Kit before she leaves.

“Seriously. If you don’t marry her, it’s going to need to be for a really good reason.”

“Are you going to tell me when to propose or let me do that by myself?”

“I’m not going to tell you when to propose.”

“But you’re going to insist on helping me pick out the ring?”

“Obviously. If I don’t, Mama will. I’ve seen the things you bought our moms before I came along. Krystle clearly really loves you, but I’m not subjecting her to pretending to like a ring she has to wear her whole life.”

“So, you want to make fun of me or tell me why you came over? You brought Kit, so I assume you’re crashing here?”

Kent nods. It’s stupid and he’s going to have to grow out of it eventually because Jeff can’t keep this apartment forever, but sometimes sleeping in his old room just feels safer when other things feel scary.

Jeff lets him settle on the couch with Kit and then stays quiet to let him figure out what he wants to say.

“Alexei wants to come out to his parents.”

“I know you said you don’t think it’s going to go well. Does he want to tell them about you?”

“Not yet. Well, he says he wants to if it’s safe, but he needs to know they won’t out me and he has no idea. So, for now, no.”

“That’s probably a good idea.” 

“Yeah. I know. He just wants to tell them he’s gay. And he wants to do it during my bye week. So I’m there for him if it’s hard. And I want to do that. Obviously, I want to help him.”

“But?” Jeff prompts.

“It might be awful. It might be really awful. What if I fuck it up?”

“Why on earth do you think you can fuck it up? If anyone fucks it up, it’s going to be his parents.”

“I’m not good at these things,” Kent says.

“What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know how to help with this kind of shit. That’s what you’re good at. I can’t even deal with my own shit. What if I say or do the wrong thing and then everything is harder on him? And he’s always so good when I’m fucked up. He always does the right thing. And I want to be like that when he needs me, so I’m not just this disaster he has to deal with. I want to be good for him when he’s a disaster, too.”

“Hey,” Jeff says, pulling Kent into a hug when his voice breaks.

“Okay. First. You are wrong about not being good at these things. You are amazing with Mills. There’s a reason Reaper called you in when he realized Mills had more things going on than anyone knew. You’re great every time his parents fuck up and when Jenna broke up with hm. You admitted that there’s another gay player on our team that only you know about and you handle that all by yourself. You’re good with all the guys. You help me every time I have an issue.”

“This is different.”

“Why?”

“I’m not dating any of these other people.”

“It’s not that different.”

Kent shrugs. It _is_ different.

“Okay, why do you think it’s different?”

When Kent just shrugs again, Jeff sighs.

“Okay. Do you think it’s going to just be harder because you’re dating him, or do you think you’re going to be worse at being there for him because you’re dating? Because the first might be true but the second one isn’t.”

Kent doesn’t answer but Jeff knows him too well.

“Is this about Zimmermann? Because this does not compare to what happened with him for so many reasons.”

When Kent doesn’t answer, Jeff must take that as a yes.

“Okay. First, I know that Zimmermann has told you that it wasn’t your fault. And that’s true. But this is still so much different. For one thing, you’re not seventeen. You can’t compare this to trying to completely solve your boyfriend’s mental health problems when you were seventeen. If anything, the fact that you took that on so much for so long means the exact opposite. Also, you’re not doing this alone and neither is he. Are Zimmermann and Bitty going to be around?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. So, you have help and so does he. And I’ll come to Providence if you want me to.”

“You’re supposed to take Krystle to Mexico.”

“She can come to Providence, too. We’ll get a hotel. I can prove to Thirdy I really have a girlfriend.”

“That’s a horrible vacation. It’s going to be gross and freezing. Zimms will be there the whole time and Bitty will be there for at least the weekend when he’s going to talk to them.”

“Do you want me to go?”

Kent doesn’t answer because he does want Jeff to go, but he doesn’t want Krystle to run out of the patience she’s had so far with him.

“At least let me ask her about it. See what she says. She loves you. She knows I love you. And she’s really close to her friends. She would definitely do this for some of her friends, and I would support her.”

“I’m going to send you both to Aruba for two weeks in the summer. Or literally anywhere she wants.”

“That’s not necessary, but I’ll tell her because I know it will make you feel better. But really, you’re going to be okay. Both of you. You both have a lot of friends. You’ve got a lot of people to help you. And our moms love him. They’re about six months away from starting to make marriage hints.”

***

Zimms and Thirdy both show up at the airport even though both Kent and Jeff have cars reserved for rental.

“This is not my fault,” Zimms says as he pulls Kent into a hug.

“It’s true,” Thirdy says. “I needed Zimmboni to drive me here, so I could drive Swoops’ rental. This fucker has lived in an area with snow for less than a year. And I drove his ass around all winter that time because I didn’t want him to die. Even if we hadn’t swept you guys, I still wouldn’t want him to die thinking he can drive in this shit. If you could make some sad faces at him so he agrees to just let me drive him around, that would be easier.”

“Thanks,” Kent says at the same time that Jeff mumbles that he’d be fine on his own. Thirdy says something about giving Kent one less thing to worry about, and Jeff caves easily.

As for how bad their two games with Providence went, Kent doesn’t bother pointing out that their starting goalie has been out on injury for three months, and Reaper had played both the Providence games with a fever. Their season is shit, and everyone knows it. It sucks because he’s afraid they’re going to start moving some of his guys, but it also means they might move Carly and Teller, and that’s just fine with him. No matter what the guys say, Kent can handle them. But their presence is wearing on Cupid who plays with Carl more often than not, and Kent still hasn’t figured out what do to about that. Mills has been playing well even through the disaster, and really, so has Cupid. But they might not be as attached to Cupid yet so Kent’s doing everything he can to sway management toward seeing Cupid as a long-term investment. He likes all the other guys too, but Cupid needs the Aces in a way the rest of them don’t.

“Seriously, what are they like? I know you’ve met them,” Kent asks when he meets Zimms back in the parking garage of the apartment complex. The drive from the airport wasn’t bad, but it was enough to make Kent glad he learned to drive in the snow from Bob years ago.

“They don’t speak a lot of English, but they were nice,” Zimms says. “Of course, they don’t know about me either. They met Bitty at the game with Shitty and Lardo. We said they were all just my friends, but…they seemed kind of uncomfortable anyway.”

“Great.”

“Elena brought Tater’s baby book.”

Kent laughs. He’s so fucking glad Elena was able to come.

“They’re pretty serious about not getting in the way of his game, so he’s going to try to sneak over tonight with the excuse of watching tape. His dad’s kind of intense. Marty says it makes sense that Tater likes to train with me now that we’ve met his dad.”

“Yeah, I know. He mentioned that when I didn’t believe he liked training with you. Russian coaching is nothing compared to you I guess.”

“Yeah.” Jack grimaces.

They’d always been pushed hard as kids. It was the life they wanted, and they got used to it. But Bab Bob would never have allowed some of the things Alexei has mentioned to Kent in the dark when he talks about his childhood.

“Thanks for doing this,” Kent says. “I know it’s probably kind of weird to have me staying with you guys.”

“What? Kenny, no. Please, if you’d tried to stay at a hotel, Bitty would’ve hauled you back here. We’re your friends. It’s going to be next to impossible to get Bitty to go back to school any more than he has to. Also, you’re going to have to get Jeff and Krystle over here at least once. He’s baking away his nerves, and Tater can barely eat any of it because his mom is cooking for him.”

Kent laughs. If nothing else, Krystle deserves Bitty’s cooking for giving up her vacation for him.

Bitty wraps Kent in a hug as soon as they come in. Then he starts fussing over Kit. Kit’s always been a ridiculously good traveler, but she has her limits and she jumps out of the carrier as soon as Kent opens it.

“Tater brought all her things over, so everything should be fine,” Bitty says. “He insisted on setting up everything himself, too.”

Kent smiles. Of course, in all the mess Alexei is dealing with, he’s still trying to take care of Kent.

Kent lets Bitty feed him and basically fuss over him. It’s nice and the food is good. Part of him worried that this would be awkward, but it was something he was willing to do to be close to Alexei. Now he’s glad they insisted. Jack mostly lets Bitty take over, but he’s a safe presence, and whatever weirdness Kent had with Bitty is long gone. Bitty gets him in a way that none of his other friends do and dating Zimms isn’t enough to get in the way of that.

 **Alexei:** Glad you got here ok. Parents going to bed soon. Will come over with Elena?  
**Kent:** Whenever you want.

“Elena is so excited to meet you,” Bitty says. “Don’t worry. I think you’d have to do something really crazy for her to not like you.”

Letting Jack answer the door when Alexei knocks is the worst torture, but he has to. Officially, he’s supposedly here to visit Zimms. It’s kind of ironic that his cover story now involves visiting his ex-boyfriend.

Tater pulls him into a hug as soon as he sees Kent, completely pushing past Zimms and mostly ignoring Bitty.

He cradles Kent’s head in his hands and pulls back just enough for a kiss. It’s more than a peck, but not enough that Kent cares if Elena is somewhere behind him. When they pull back from the kiss, they stay with their foreheads pressed together. They’re probably being rude to everyone else right now, but Kent can’t make himself care.

“So glad you’re here,” Alexei says against his lips.

“No where else I want to be,” Kent says.

Alexei sighs and moves closer to curl against Kent has much as he can. He turns his face into Kent’s neck and lets Kent hold him. He vaguely hears Bitty move away and guide everyone else down the hall as Alexei takes a deep breath that catches in his throat.

“I’m here now. I love you. Whatever you need, I’m here for,” Kent says because he can’t make any promises that it’s going to be okay. Alexei nods into him and takes another deep breath before pulling away. He’s not crying, but he’s still closer to it than Kent’s ever seen him.

“You know you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Kent says. “It doesn’t matter if you change your mind. Don’t even think about doing it because Jeff insisted on coming. I’m buying them both a crazy vacation in the summer either way.”

Alexei chuckles and shakes his head.

“Thank you, but is not for you. Is for me. I’m tired of the comments and the questions. Having you just make it easier.”

Alexei kisses him one more time before calling out to the others that they can come back in.

“Kent, is my sister. Elena.”

Elena hugs him, and then pulls him to the couch and starts pulling things out of a tote bag.

“I bring whole book. English is getting better and pictures help with stories,” Elena says. “I tell Mama for teammates. She think I want to use to start talk with Lexi’s friends. Maybe to find husband here.”

Elena rolls her eyes.

“Is why Mama let me come over to see you. She think I like you or Jack,” Elena says and then makes a face to show just how she feels about that idea.

Before Kent can answer, she opens the book and pushes it half on his lap. Alexei settles on the couch next to him and rests his arm over the back of the couch behind Kent.

Alexei wasn’t a much cuter baby than Jack, but he was a cute toddler. Of course, Kent also thinks Zimms was a cute toddler because toddlers are always cute as far as he’s concerned. Alexei mostly stays quiet as Elena flips through the pages and stops to translate notes, but when Kent looks at him, he smiles and shrugs. He runs his fingers lightly through the hair just at the base of Kent’s skull and it helps Kent relax. The night after tomorrow is going to be harder, but now he gets to pretend they’re just like any other couple.

***

Jeff and Krystle come over to watch the game with Bitty and Kent. They might have cover stories for being in Providence if they get caught, but they don’t want to call any more attention to themselves if they don’t need to. Bitty could go to the game, but Kent suspects both he and Jack decided that hovering around Kent is more important. He gets along great with Krystle and they end up exchanging recipes. The Falcs beat the Bruins. It’s a good game, but nothing stressful. The Falcs are so far ahead that they can take some losses and rest their guys whenever they need it. Kent thinks they have a chance at the Cup this year even if he hasn’t said it yet.

Alexei sneaks out of his apartment after his family goes to sleep. Kent lets him in.

“Zimmboni know I come over. Says not to be loud,” Alexei whispers after they’re in the guestroom.

Kent laughs into Alexei’s lips and then groans when Alexei deepens the kiss. Alexei fucks him slowly, pulling Kent’s orgasm out of him as Kent buries his face in Alexei’s neck to cover his moans. He doesn’t care if Bitty and Zimms know they’re having sex. Logically, they already know that. But the moment feels so private that he doesn’t want to share any part of it with anyone else.

“Sorry I can’t stay,” Alexei says.

“It’s okay,” Kent whispers back. “I know you want to.”

“You want me to stay until you fall asleep?"

Kent nods and Alexei sets an alarm just in case he accidentally drifts off. When Kent wakes up the next morning, he’s alone, but the t-shirt Alexei was wearing when he came over is in his arms.

***

Jack’s apartment the next day is filled with amazing smells and a lot of tense silence. Krystle is in the kitchen under the guise of helping, but Kent suspects it’s just an excuse to give him some privacy. Kent’s upgrading everything about their summer vacation because he can’t imagine waiting here without Jeff. Jack’s not doing any better than Kent. He keeps wandering back and forth from the kitchen to the living room while Kent vacillates between cuddling against Jeff and Kit and pacing around the living room.

He’s already called his moms twice and Bob and Alicia once. He Skyped with Caitlyn earlier in the night without Jeff even prompting him. Jeff and Zimms keep checking their phones for updates from Marty and Thirdy. At least Alexei isn’t doing this alone. Between Marty, Thirdy, and Elena, he has plenty of back up even though Alexei has told Elena multiple times to be careful about how she stands up to her parents. Zimms’ phone beeps and Kent reads over his shoulder without asking for once.

 **Marty:** Thirdy is trying to suggest taking Tater back to his house. Obvs we’ll bring him there.  
**Jack:** How bad?  
**Marty:** Not good, could be worse.

“He’s not alone Kenny. Marty and Thirdy won’t leave until they’re sure he’s okay, or he goes with them,” Zimms says.

Kent nods as Zimms turns the phone so Jeff can read it.

Jeff pulls him in and holds him. Kent takes deep breaths into his chest. He can’t break down. He needs to hold it together for Alexei.

“Tater’s grabbing some stuff, and they’re coming over,” Zimms says behind him.

Kent nods into Jeff’s chest and stands up.

“I’m staying here,” Jeff says. “Jack’s giving me the other guestroom. We talked about it already.”

Kent just nods. He should argue. Because Jeff didn’t say Krystle was staying. But Kent isn’t strong enough to argue the point. Jeff doesn’t want Kent to hesitate if he needs Jeff and Kent doesn’t want that either.

The door opens, and Alexei comes through first. He’s already crying, and Kent wastes no time pulling him close. Alexei clings to him, sobbing and hunching down so he can press his face into Kent’s neck.

“I got you. I love you. I love you. I love you,” Kent says over and over because he doesn’t know details, but he’s sure he wants Alexei to know how loved he is.

Zimms puts his hand over Kent’s on Alexei’s back.

“If you guys want to go to the bedroom for a bit, we can wait out here. Just text me if you want me to send people home.”

Kent nods and turns them so that he can lead Tater back to the guestroom without pulling too far away from him.

They curl up on the bed on their sides and Kent holds Alexei close, pressing light kisses to his temple and whispering his love.

“Papa is angry,” Alexei says between sobs. “Says is not okay. Mama say I come back to Russia. Says America make me think wrong things. I say no. They not care about contract or hockey. Just say I have to come home. Play hockey there and be better.”

“They can’t make you go home.”

“I know. I tell them I’m not going. I stay here. Is good Zimmboni stay here. They get ask Marty and Thirdy why they let this happen. Why they not make sure I find wife like them. They say right things, but would be harder for Zimmboni.”

Kent just nods because he can’t argue with that.

“They ask if I have man. I say yes, but not telling them who. They demand I stop and come home. Is okay. They think Elena like you. I have to convince them not B, but they believe me. I say I would not risk man I love and there are plenty of ways I could meet. They have no other ideas.”

“Is there anything I can do? Tell me and I’ll do it.” Kent doesn’t say he’ll marry Alexei tomorrow if he has to because he doesn’t want to propose like that, but he’ll do it if Alexei needs him to.

“Just this. Papa say man cannot love man. I know he wrong,” Alexei says and cuddles closer to him. He goes quiet, but Kent can tell he’s not near sleep.

Kent’s phone buzzes on the bed where he tossed it.

 **Swoops:** Feel free to ignore this bc I said we should leave you alone, but Marty and Thirdy want to know if you guys want them to tell us what happened or if Alexei wants to do it himself.

“Hey,” Kent whispers and Alexei opens his eyes to look up at him. “Marty and Thirdy want to know if you want them to tell everyone else what happened or if you want them to wait for you.”

“They tell,” Alexei’s says. “Is easier.”

Kent texts Jeff back and drops the phone back on the bed.

“Should go out. Thank Marty and Thirdy,” Alexei says.

“Only if you want. No one expects you to,” Kent says.

Alexei nods and closes his eyes again.

“Maybe you tell them thank you and say maybe they come back over tomorrow.”

Kent presses another kiss to Alexei’s temple and grabs his phone because he’s sure as hell not going to leave Alexei.

 **Kent:** Alexei says Thank You to Marty and Thirdy and thank them for me too. I think we’re going to stay in here. We’ll text them in the morning.  
**Swoops:** Ok. I’ll let them know. Krystle is staying with Thirdy. Bitty made three pies for each of you and obviously lots of other things. Let any of us know if you need anything. Seriously.

“Bitty made you three blueberry pies whenever you’re hungry,” Kent says and that gets him a smile.

“B is good friend. All are good friends.”

“They love you a lot,” Kent says because he knows that helps him. Jeff loves him. Mama and Mom love him. Reaper and Davy and Matty. Mills. Zimms and Bitty. They’re better than his parents. Alexei nods.

“My moms love you. Jeff says they’re about six months away from making wedding hints at me.”

Alexei smiles again and pulls Kent closer. Kent holds him until he sighs and pulls back so they can see each other. Alexei looks at him like he’s trying to figure something out and then lowers his gaze to Kent’s chest.

“You think maybe?” Alexei says.

“Maybe what?” Kent asks.

“Not asking for real. Not like this tonight,” Alexei says. “But you think maybe, if things stay good, we get married?”

Kent loses his words for a minute and Alexei starts to pull away.

“Sorry. Is too soon and is not good time,” Alexei says.

“Hey, no,” Kent says as he pulls Alexei back to him. “It’s not. I’ve thought about it. A lot. Clearly enough that Jeff said that.”

“Falcs have good season,” Alexei says. “Free agent after this year.”

“You’re thinking of leaving?” Kent asks. It’s crazy. No one expects anything except for Alexei to get a longer contract with more money.

“Love Falcs, but is so far. Maybe find somewhere closer.”

“You really want to do that for me?”

“Is not good for you to leave. Me, is maybe okay,” Alexei says. “I think I know by then if we both think is good idea. Does not have to mean we get married if is too soon. Just need to know that you think we maybe get there.”

“I think so,” Kent says. “But you shouldn’t decide this tonight.”

“Is not tonight. Is something I think for a while and not say, but I not do if you think bad idea.”

“I shouldn’t tell you this,” Kent says. “But Jeff’s probably retiring. He’s not as much as you, but they’ll be wanting to make changes after this season. So, you know, it might be worth a shot.”

“You think Aces? Was thinking just closer. Aces bigger deal.”

“I know. So, we should probably not decide anything about it tonight. I’m just saying.”

Alexei nods. Later, they’ll sneak out to the kitchen for pie, and Kent will check in with Jeff. But for now neither of them want to move out of each other’s arms any time soon.

***

Alexei’s parents fly home the next night without him. He does take them to the airport, but Marty insists on driving, so Kent worries less that they’ll somehow force Alexei onto the plane. Zimms helps him move his and Kit’s stuff into Alexei’s apartment. They’re flying back to Vegas in the morning anyway, but it makes Kent feel better to do something while he waits for them to get back.

“They might get better,” Zimms says. “Bitty’s parents had a hard time at first, but they’re getting used to it.”

“Bitty’s parents just didn’t want him to be gay. They didn’t hate gay people completely,” Kent points out.

“I know. But he has a lot of people here. I promise to watch out for him so much that he gets sick of me, and I have to buy his friendship back with Bitty’s pies.”

Kent laughs and hugs Zimms because if there’s anyone he trusts to be overprotective to a fault, it’s Zimms.

“You sure you don’t want me to come to Vegas?” Zimms asks when Kent doesn’t let go.

“Bitty has to go back to school. You have three more days with him.”

“Bitty had to be talked out of skipping school to follow you guys back to Vegas,” Zimms says.

Kent laughs and finally backs away from the hug.

“No. It’s okay. Jeff’s already going to be around and our moms will probably drive up. I’m already going to have to stop Mills from flying back to Las Vegas earlier than he planned.”

 **Alexei:** On the way home. Elena says look under the bed in the second guest room? She leave something for us.

Kent relays the text to Zimms and they go look together. Under the bed is the big tote bag Elena brought to Zimms’s apartment days ago. Inside is Tater’s baby book along with several other pictures. There’s a letter Kent can’t read, several pucks with stick tape and writing that Kent can’t read but assumes are important. There’s a stuffed elephant that’s worn from love and three folded jerseys with Mashkov on the back in different sizes from old teams.

“She loves him. She wanted to make sure he had the things he might want,” Zimms says.

“I’m going to marry him,” Kent says.

“Like, now?” Jack asks.

“No. Shit. We’re not that impulsive. Just you know, we’ve kind of talked about it, but nothing’s official.”

“I don’t know. You live in Las Vegas.”

“And weddings are still public record. We’re not trying to be outed tomorrow. Also, don’t say anything. I haven’t even really told Jeff about it yet.”

Zimms nods.

“You and Bitty haven’t talked about yet? He lived with you all last summer.”

“I mean, I was thinking of asking after he graduated.”

Kent looks at him for a second.

“Okay, but you know you can’t just ask him out of nowhere, right? You should kind of talk about it before you make some big production with 300 roses?”

“That’s not romantic,” Zimms says.

“It’s also a huge thing that will make him feel like he has to say yes if you totally surprise him,” Kent says. “Seriously, you can still do the 300 roses thing. Just make the how a surprise. Not the entire thing.”

“Talk to your mom,” Kent says when Jack looks unsure. “If she says I’m wrong, do it your way. I got that from Reaper and my moms agreed with him when I thought he was crazy.”

***

Alexei cries when he sees everything Elena left for him and reads her letter.

“She didn’t want to tell me in case it not go bad, but she also want to make sure I have things she think I want.”

Kent picks up the elephant and makes him kiss Alexei’s face.

“Was my favorite. Slept with it until Papa say I was too old and make me give to Elena or throw away.”

“Well, good thing she kept him safe for you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Mama:** Have you talked to your brother?  
**Kent:** He won’t let me go more than a few hours without checking on us.  
**Mom:** Right. Mama is coming tonight instead of the next day, but we’ll leave you and Alexei until you’re ready for company.

Kent calls Jeff without bothering to get out of bed. They only got back to Vegas the previous night and Jeff did seem odd on the plane, but Kent had assumed it was because he was worrying.

“Dude. Why is Mama coming up early?”

“They told you?”

“They told me she was coming, but not why,” Kent says.

“You have enough stuff going on right now,” Jeff says.

“We’re eating lunch in bed and watching bad T.V. You’ll be less of an interruption if you just tell me what’s up now.”

“I accidentally asked Krystle to marry me. It just slipped out. And it was all wrong and she basically tried to be nice about telling me it was weird and too soon. She says it’s fine, but she went home after we got back to Vegas. I didn’t want to bother you.”

Kent cannot believe he gave the ‘you don’t surprise people with marriage without warning’ speech to the wrong person in his life.

“But she didn’t break up with you, right?”

“No. But she told Ty. Reaper already texted me and told me I was an idiot.”

“Did he say anything helpful?” Kent asks.

“He said to say I was emotional from all your stuff and that while I love her, I understand we’re not at that point yet and I know it was inappropriate to blurt it out like I did.”

“Is that basically true?”

“Yeah. And she said she’d come over tomorrow night. She loves me. I’m just an idiot. And Mama is coming because I called her and told her I was an idiot. Be with Alexei. Reaper says Ty talked to her again, and he now feels comfortable just laughing at me, so it’s fine.”

Kent makes him promise he’s okay again before he hangs up.

“Mama is going to be here tonight,” Kent says when he hangs up and reads the texts he got from their moms while he was on the phone. “She wants to know if you want her to come watch the game with you tomorrow. It’s not a trick question. If you say you want to wait until after when Mills and Jeff come over too, it’s fine.”

“Should want her to like me,” Alexei says.

“She already likes you. I promise. She also knows that you’re feeling kind of shitty and you might still feel weird around her. That’s also why both of them aren’t coming. Mom would have to take time off work, and they don’t want to overwhelm you.”

“If she want to come over, I watch the game with her.”

They spend the rest of the day in bed. Eventually, Kent tells Alexei about his conversations with Zimms and Swoops. Partially because they’re both disasters, but it’s mostly an excuse to bring up the subject again.

“I don’t want you to marry me because you think you need to. No one can make me go back to Russia. Mama and Papa not tell anyone anyway. They don’t want to admit to other people. Too ashamed.”

“It’s not that,” Kent says. “Getting married would be so complicated. We’d have to come out. We’d want to make sure you signed a good contract first. I didn’t start thinking about this just when you brought it up. I guess maybe I just started to want you to know more. I want you to know you have me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Alexei smiles.

“You have me too.”

***

The Aces lose. To the Oilers. It’s embarrassing for both teams really. The media, of course, blew the whole thing up with two generational players going head to head. Kent gets two goals. McDavid gets three. At one point they’re standing next to each other waiting for the refs to decide something that doesn’t even matter.

“Is anyone else even playing this game?” Kent asks.

“My goalie?” McDavid answers.

Just for that, Kent outskates everyone else and gets his next goal unassisted. But it’s not enough.

Both Reaper and Mills are in the press box with injuries, but the rest of the team doesn’t want to look at him when it’s over.

“You guys can all stop. I don’t have the energy to be mad at any of you. I’m letting Coach do all of that.”

He stops by to check on Cupid because Cupid did play well, but he’s not even supposed to be a guy that holds up his whole line.

Kent does press. Showers. Listens to Coach Day yell even though he just wants to go home.

Mills comes home with him, and they find Mama with Alexei in the kitchen teaching him how to make enchiladas. Mills hugs Alexei and starts chattering about the trip to the Bahamas that he took with Cupid over the break. Jeff shows up just in time to help with nothing except setting the table. The game sucked, but half-way through dinner, Kent looks at Alexei and sees him laughing at a story Mills is clearly exaggerating for more drama. Something in Kent’s chest relaxes from how right everything feels.

Mama sticks Jeff with cleanup duty and pulls Kent outside after dinner.

“Don’t worry. I recruited an ally to get some time with you,” Mama says when he hesitates to leave Alexei. Kent looks back and Mills is showing Alexei pictures on his phone.

“Should I be worried?” Kent asks.

“I just wanted to give you something. I don’t want you to feel any pressure with it, but I’m not sure how soon I’ll be here again so Mom and I wanted you to have it if you want it.”

Mama hands him a ring box, and he opens it to find a simple gold band.

“It was my fathers’. And if you don’t want it, that’s really fine. It might not be his style at all, so don’t feel like you have to use it. We just thought, that considering everything, you both might appreciate having something from the family.”

“What about Jeff?” Kent can’t help asking even as he finds himself tearing up.

“Jeff will be getting my grandmother’s band and the diamond from her engagement ring, and he knows that. Of course, all things considered, we’re not letting him have it early. He’s going to have to ask for it and prove he’s asking at an appropriate time.” Mama rolls her eyes and Kent laughs.

“Thank you,” Kent says. It’s simple, but it’s perfect.

Mama hugs him close.

“Now don’t feel any pressure. We just wanted you have it if you want it, and we know that regardless of official labels you’ve been seeing him for almost a year.”

Kent nods. Their official anniversary might be later, but he knows they both kind of count from that crazy night in March. They go back inside. Alexei looks up at him and smiles when he sees Kent. Fuck. There’s no way he’s going to be holding on to this ring for too long.

Mama goes home in the morning. They have a day off before their next home game, but it takes every bit of dedication for Kent to get up and leave Alexei in bed.

Practice is brutal. Carly makes some dumb ass comment about Cupid thinking he won’t get traded because he’s Kent’s pet. Reaper is with the trainers so Matty steps in. That only makes Teller tell Matty that he’s only an alternate because Reaper is injured. Kent tells everyone to shut the fuck up. Everyone knows he doesn’t really have a say in who gets traded anyway. He manages to not add that if he did, Teller and Carly would both be fucking gone.

After, Kent just wants to go home to Alexei, but he’s a good captain and he cares about Cupid, so he tries to hang around. Cupid either doesn’t want to talk about it, or he just wants to get out of there, so he sneaks out before Kent can stop him. He at least answers Kent’s text when Kent asks where he is.

 **Cupid:** I’m ok. I just wanted to be alone for a bit and you know Mills is going to come over as soon as he hears about this.  
**Kent:** Do you want me to tell him to give you space?  
**Cupid:** I should but I don’t even want you to. Apparently, I like torturing myself. You should know that. I spent 4 days in the Bahamas with him.

Kent lets it go because he doesn’t know what he can do to make things easier for Cupid.

Coming home to Alexei is amazing even if it’s only for a couple more days.

“It’s just that everything is going wrong this season,” Kent says when he’s back in bed with Alexei. “We’ve had shitty luck with injuries, and they don’t want to risk good players by pushing them when it doesn’t matter much at this point. I just wanted Jeff to have a good last season, but he says it doesn’t matter. He’s had the Cup twice, and that’s enough for him.”

Alexei nods, listening to Kent complain even though it’s nothing compared to what just happened with his parents. Alexei has a shot at the Cup this year, but hockey doesn’t fix everything. Of course, Kent knows that. He’s had the Cup twice, and somehow Mama passing him an old gold ring felt like more than that. Kent looks at Alexei, and then gets up and goes to his closet and gets the box from the drawer where he hid it.

“Kent?” Alexei calls after him.

“Don’t freak out,” Kent says even though he’s hiding the box in his fist as he comes back to sit on the bed.

“Is not best way to make me not freak out,” Alexei points out, but he laughs when Kent does.

“Fair. I just, I want to give you something. And you don’t have to take it now if you don’t want to, but I want you to know that when you want it, it’s yours.”

“Kent,” Alexei whispers as he sits up, clearly starting to figure out where Kent’s going.

“I can stop if you want,” Kent says.

“No. No. Don’t stop,” Alexei says, so Kent opens his fist, and then the box so Alexei can see the ring.

“Mama gave me this last night. It was her father’s so it’s not exactly as fancy as I could get you, but it’s from her family, my family now, and I think you get why that’s more important to me than some fancy new ring.”

Alexei nods. Kent’s tearing up, but Alexei is too so it’s fine.

“We don’t have to plan everything or set a date or even tell everyone until you’re ready,” Kent says. “But I’m sure. I’m in this with you if you want me. I know you’re the person I want to marry.”

“I know you’re man I want to marry too,” Alexei says.

“So, I guess I should actually ask then,” Kent says with a laugh. “Will you, Alexei Mashkov, marry me?”

“Yes. Yes, Kent, yes.” Alexei kisses him and it’s not the best kiss because they’re both smiling too much for it to work well. Kent laughs and pulls back so he can take the ring out of the box.

“This might not even fit. Mama gave it to me last night. I was going to figure out how to get your size but obviously I didn’t.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Alexei says.

Amazingly, it does fit, and they look at it on Alexei’s hand.

“Wish I could wear all the time,” Alexei says.

“I know. But even if we were out, you’d have to wear it on a chain half the time anyway.”

“Yes,” Alexei says. “And I get you ring too. Will be surprise that isn’t surprise.”

Kent laughs and kisses him. It gets more intense until Alexei pulls Kent into his lap. It’s stupid to think the sex is more intense because the ring doesn’t really change anything, but Kent feels safe letting everything go in a way he never has before.

“You want to tell people?” Alexei asks after they’ve cleaned up and most of the haziness of their orgasms has worn off.

“Like come out for real or just tell the people who know that we’re together that now we’re engaged?”

“Oh. Just second one. Coming out not conversation we have after sex, I think.”

“Yeah, I’m going to agree with that,” Kent says. He rests his head on Alexei chest and reaches to take Alexei’s hand, so he can look at the ring on his finger.

“I’m probably going to have to tell my moms and Jeff. There’s no way I can promise not to,” Kent says.

“Not sure I can promise not to tell everyone who knows we’re together,” Alexei says.

“Then don’t. We can just tell people,” Kent says. He picks up his phone and snaps a picture of him holding Alexei’s hand where the band is clearly visible. He sends the picture to Alexei first so he has it, then he opens his group family chat.

 **Kent:** Jeff, for the record, there were multiple conversations leading up to this!  
**Jeff:** What?  
**Mama:** !  
**Mom:** [crying laughing emoji]  
**Kent:** [attached image]  
**Jeff:** Holy shit!  
**Jeff:** Also, you can all stop laughing at me at any time. Krystle says congrats. And now she’s laughing at me, but we’re fine so whatever.  
**Mama:** Congratulations!  
**Mom:** Yes. And tell Alexei we love him.  
**Kent:** Thank you and thanks for the ring. It means a lot to him and it amazingly fits.  
**Jeff:** It fits because I got Thirdy to figure out his ring size and tell me. That’s how I knew they were going to start making wedding hints.  
**Mom:** There were no pushy hints! We just wanted to him to have it when he was ready!  
**Kent:** Wow. Okay. Thank you. Seriously. From both of us. We’re not making any wedding date decisions yet though.  
**Mama:** Yes, we understand that’s a lot more complicated. No pressure.

“You have very good family,” Alexei says as he reads over Kent’s shoulder.

“They’re going to be your family, too now,” Kent says. “And well, you know they’re not the original. Let’s tell Jack and Bitty since we basically share them and then we’ll hit up the guys that know on the teams.”

They have a group chat with Jack and Bitty and Kent tells Alexei to send the picture because he should get to send it to someone and Elena will be sleeping in Russia now.

 **Bitty:** OMG. I didn’t even know this was up for discussion. Kent Parson! Why didn’t you tell me???  
**Zimms:** He just told me the other day. I didn’t know it was going to happen so soon.  
**Kent:** We didn’t either, but my moms gave me the ring and the timing was right. We’re not making any date decisions yet. There’s obviously a million things to consider.  
**Zimms:** Congratulations, Kenny. Really.  
**Bitty:** Yes. Congratulations! I’m sending you something. And throwing an engagement party once you tell me I can.  
**Alexei:** Haha. You bake, you can have party.  
**Bitty:** [all the different party emojis]  
**Zimms:** Let me know when you tell my parents so I don’t accidentally tell them.  
**Kent:** Probably later today. We’re telling the guys we know on the teams now.

Alexei’s Falcs group of guys he’s out to is much shorter, and Kent wants to read it as it goes, so he has Alexei send the picture there first.

 **Snowy:** Dude! Are you serious?? He beat you to it??  
**Marty:** Not at all surprised but very happy for you!  
**Thirdy:** Same! You’re welcome for getting the ring size right.  
**Zimmboni:** What? There was more of a plan? And you didn’t tell me?  
**Thirdy:** Kent didn’t know. Jeff asked me. It’s their grandfather’s ring, so Jeff asked me so his moms could get it sized before giving it to Kent.  
**Tater:** Kent says thanks for doing that. It fit perfectly. Will be sad to have to take it off so people don’t see.  
**Thirdy:** Give us some time. Maybe we can make up a story so you can wear it on a chain at least.

“Okay. Ready for the crazy one?” Kent asks as he picks up his phone. Alexei laughs.

“Grimm is injured, yes?”

“Reaper is not going to come over and threaten you again for this. I will kill him.”

 **Parse:** [attached picture]  
**Mills:** Congratulations!!!!! Haha. I knew your Mama was giving you a ring and I knew you’d wait less than a day.  
**Cupid:** Congrats!!  
**Matty:** Congrats! Also not surprised even though I didn’t know they were giving you a family ring. I was expecting to be giving opinions any day though.  
**Swoops:** I guess I can’t be mad he didn’t ask my permission since you asked him first.  
**Parse:** Also, asking permission is weird and creepy.  
**Reaper:** I was going to say the same thing as Swoops. Mills, why didn’t you tell me???  
**Mills:** Because now was not the time for you to be weird and creepy.  
**Hammer:** Haha. And Congrats Cap!!  
**Rusher:** Yes! Best news! I text Lexi too.  
**Penny:** Congrats! And Cenzar says congrats too! I’m relaying since he still can’t use screens.  
**Hooks:** OMG How did Parse get engaged before any of the other young guys from his first year???  
**Matty:** Now I feel like a slacker.  
**Hooks:** Whatever. Parse has always been an overachieving prodigy.  
**Davy:** Congratulations.  
**Parse:** Thanks guys. And before you ask, we’re not even close to figuring out details.  
**Matty:** I figured. I mean, if you get married, then people will all find out, right?  
**Parse:** And that’s the biggest issue. :/  
**Rusher:** And Alexei will not want to go back home then. : (  
**Parse:** That’s already probably not happening anymore.  
**Rusher:** Something happen?  
**Parse:** Yeah, but not something that needs to go here.  
**Rusher:** Tell him I support if he need. Talk to other Russian players if it comes up. Call me when he is ready.  
**Parse:** Thank you. That’s a lot. Really.  
**Rusher:** You good captain. Help me so much rookie year. Nothing change that.  
**Hammer:** That’s adorable but omg you’re going to make Parse cry.  
**Hooks:** So since you asked him, does that mean you don’t get a ring? Is that an offensive question?  
**Parse:** It’s fine. And he’s going to get me a ring eventually. I have no idea when and he’s not going to tell me.  
**Reaper:** So then he can still actually ask permission because he hasn’t asked you yet.  
**Parse:** I’m specifically telling him not to do that because it’s stupid. And I’m going to say yes no matter what you or Swoops say. Also, Swoops helped with the ring, so it’s not like he can say no.  
**Reaper:** Details.  
**Hammer:** Ok. But important question. Does this mean we actually get to call him Mills’ stepdad?

“I should probably stop letting you read this. I’m never going to convince you to sign with these weirdos.”

Alexei laughs.

“We talk more about that when we know more, but they not scare me away,” Alexei says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sent the next main piece to beta last night. There are still four extras that will be posted in Gimme More. 1 Jeff extra, and 3 set in between this and then next big fic. :) (That story is unfortunately not near finished yet.)


End file.
